Doorcase



L. PETERS Jan. 29, 1952 DOOR CASE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Feb. 23, 1949 60 f INVENTOR. 51

Maw AT TOR/V5115.

Jan. 29, 1952 L. FETERS 2,584,045

DOOR CASE Filed Feb. 23, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR.

fly immvzm 7 Patented Jan. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOORCAS'E Leo Peters, Evanston, Ill. Application February 23, 1949, Serial No. 77,921

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a door case and more particularly to a container or case adapted to receive coat hangers, garments, etc, and to clamp or secure them against removal, means being provided for permitting an authorized person to open the case from the exterior oi the door while at the same time preferably permitting the house owner to open the case from the inside of the door. Other uses or the door case will be obvious.

A troublesome problem is presented in the picking up and delivery of laundry, clothes for dry cleaning, etc., since the housewife is frequently not at home when the pick-up man arrives or when the driver delivering laundry, suits, etc, arrives at the home. Neighbors are inconvenienced by being entrusted with such de livered clothes, considerable time is lost due to the tardy collection or delivery of the clothes, etc., and the situation presents a problem for which there has been no satisfactory solution.

An object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive structure which may be readily secured to a door or other building panel for safeguarding clothes, etc., which are to be picked up by the dry cleaner, laundry man, etc., while at the same time safe-guarding the delivered goods until the housewife returns home. Yet another object is to provide a door or panel case equipped with a closure which may be locked to retain the goods against'removal, unlocking being effected by an authorized person from the exterior of the panel. A still further object is to provide a case adapted to be secured to the exterior of a building panel and equipped with a closure or clamp device for securing the clothes against i removal while at the same time permitting unlocking by authorized persons not only from the exterior but also from the interior of the panel or door. Yet another object is to equip a case supported upon a door or other building panel with closure means which within the case houses hanger supports, the closure being movable against the clothing or other objects to clamp them securely against release until the closure is unlocked. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds. The invention is shown in illustrative embodiments by the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the case structure embodying my invention, the closure of the case being shown in open position; Fig. 2, a view similar to Fig. l but showing the closure of the case closed; Fig. 3, a broken enlarged detailed view of the open case as shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a

transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale, the section being taken as indicated at line 4-4 of Fig. 2.; Fig. 5, a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, the section being taken as indicated at line 5 5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6, a detailed section view, the section being taken at line 6--6 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 7, a broken detailed sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line '|-'l of Fig. 3.

In the illustration given, l0 designates a case which is secured to a door II. It will be understood that the case It) may be secured to any building panel but the door seems a convenient place for the attachment of the case thereto.

The case In may be of any suitable structure or contour. .In the specific illustration given, I provide "a case having a back wall 12 and bolts l3 extend through the back wall I! and the door II to secure the case thereon. The back wall I2 is provided at its lower end with a rolled edge [4 enclosing a reinforcing rod l5. Formed integrally with the back wall I! are the side walls I6, upwardly inclined top walls l1 and a top dome portion l8. 7

Within the dome portion l8 of the case II] are secured hanger supports 1 9, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5. It will be understood that the hanger supports or bars 19 may be of any suitable type and of any desired number. For the purpose of illustration, coat hangers 20 are shown in Fig. 5 suspended upon the supports l9 and about the garments carried by the coat hangers are enclosure bags 2| of paper, plastic or any desired material.

In order to prevent unauthorized removal of the garments from the supports l9 within case [0, I provide the front open side of the case with a closure 22. The closure 22 is preferably of the same shape as the case and serves to prevent access to the interior of the case. I prefer to provide the closure 22 with a vertical slot 23 through which the support bars 19 may extend as the closure 22 is pressed rearwardly into tight engagement with the garments, etc. A

The closure 22 is provided with a. hinge 24 on one side and on the opposite side with a latch bar 25. The latch bar 25 is pivoted to one end of the closure 22 at 26 and is provided with ratchet teeth 21, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4. In the specific illustration given, the ratchet bar .25 extends through an opening through the door II and engages a locking bolt 28 or a lock casing 29. The bolt 28 is connected with a handle 30 accessible from inside of the door to permit the withdrawal of the bolt; The bolt 28 is also connected to the tumbler of a key lock 3| to permit the withdrawal of the bolt by the turning of the key, the key being operated from the exterior of the door. If desired, the latch bar may be controlled by a lock mounted only on the exterior of the door, the lock being key controlled; however, for the advantages already set out, I prefer to have the latch bar extend through the door as illustrated. Instead of employing the key controlled lock, 'a combination lock or "other lock which guards against unauthorized withdrawal of the bolt, may be em ployed.

I prefer to equip the closure 22 at its lower end 7 with a rolled edge 32 enclosing a reinforcing rod 33, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5 so as to render the closure more effective in clamping the clothes supported within the case to prevent their removal.

In the use of the case, it may sometimes be desired to leave a single coat hanger or two carrying thin dresses, etc., for cleaning and for such goods, it is necessary that the closure be moved inwardly not only at its latch end but also at its hinge end. We have therefore provided a structure which, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, enable the hinge 24 to be moved bodily inwardly within the case. The case side wall I6 is provided with a pair of laterally extending 'slots 34. A slide block 35 carrying the hinge 24 at one end thereof is provided with headed bolts 38 extending through the slots 34. By this means, the hinge 24 is moved bodily within the case Hi. In order to latch the slide block 35 at any selected point, I provide the side wall It with a series of locking indentations 31, as shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 6. Further. the closure 22 is provided with a locking tongue 38 which extends through a slot 39 in the slide block 35 to engage the indentations 31, as shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 6.

Operation In the operation of the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, garments to be picked up by the dry cleaners, etc., are suspended from hangers and the closure 22 is pressed inwardly to the position illustrated in Fig. 5 in which the lower edges of the closure press tightly against the garments. The garments are thus firmly held between the rolled edges of the closure 22 and the rolled edge [4 of the case back wall I2. The latch bar 25 ratchets over the locking'bolt 28 so as to secure the closure 22 in tightly clamped position. The hinged end of the closure 22 is also pressed inwardly in this operation, as illustrated in Fig. 6 and when the closure 22 is swung to a position across the front of the case, the tongue 38 engages one of the locking indentations to prevent outward movement of the closure 22 from the hinged end. Outward movement of the latch end of the closure 22 is prevented by the engagement of latch bar 25 with the lock bolt 28. The garments thus are securely held and guarded against removal. When the dry cleaner pick-up man arrives, he inserts a key into the lock 3| and withdraws the bolt 28 from engagement with latch bar 25. The latch bar 25 may then be drawn forwardly to free the closure 22 at the forward endof the case 18. The garments are picked up and taken to the drycleaners. When the clean garments enclosed in paper bags or other types of bags, etc., are returned, the delivery man releases the closure 22 in the mannerabovedee scribed and places the coat hangers in position, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The closure is again moved inwardly from both ends to clamp the closure tightly against the garments. The latching of bar 25 by engagement with the lock bolt 28 completes the locking of the closure and thesafe-guarding of the garments against removal until the housewife returns.

The housewife upon turning the knob 36 releases the latch bar 25 which may be pushed outwardly. The closure 22' may be swung open to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 and the hangp from the inside and outside of said panel forers removed.

The latch bar 25 cooperates effectively with the bolt 28 which has a cammed forward surface and a rear locking edge. The bar 25 ratchets past the bolt 28 as the bar is pushed inwardly but is securely held by the bolt against outward movement. The bolt 28 may be urged outwardly by a spring or may be held in outward position by engagement with its locking connections with the barrel 3| and handle 30, the parts having sufficient play to enable the ratchet bar 25 to slide past the lock 28 in one direction but preventing outward movement of the latching bar.

While in the foregoing specification I have set forth specific structures in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be understood that such details of structures may be Varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my inven tion.

I claim:

1. In combination, a case open on one side and adapted to be secured on the exterior of a substantially imperforate building panel, a closure movably secured to said case, a latch bar with looking serrations carried by said closure, and a look on the interior of said panel having a bolt engaging said serrations for releasably securing said closure in closed position.

2. In combination, a case adapted to be secured to a substantially imperforate building panel and having an open side, means for supporting objects within said case, a closure movably secured to said case, a latch bar having locking serrations carried by said closure, said panel having an opening therethrough adapted to receive said latch bar, and a lock mounted on the inside of said panel and equipped with a bolt for engaging said serrations to secure said closure in closed position.

3. A clothes case adapted to be secured to the exterior of a building panel comprising a case body having an open front side, hanger supports within said case, a closure extending across the open side of said case and movable inwardly to engage the garments pressed within said case, and lock means on the inside of said panel and releasable from the inside and outside of said building panel for securing said closure in clamping position against said garments.

4. A garment case adapted to be secured to the outer side of a substantially imperforate building panel and having an open side, hanger supports within said case, a closure pivotally mounted upon said case at one end for closing said open side, a latch bar secured to the end of said closure opposite the hinged end, and means on the inside of said panel and releasable locking said latch bar when said closure is moved to closed position.

5. A garment clamping case adapted to be securedto the outer side of a substantially impere forate building panel, comprising a case open at its front side, a hanger support in said case and adapted to receive coat hangers upon which garments are carried, a closure hingedly connected to said case for moving to a position across said open side, said closure being provided with a lower edge adapted to be brought into clamping engagement with said garments, and releasable latch means on the inside of said panel and releasable from the inside and outside thereof for 1 confining said closure with the lower edge thereof in gripping relation with said garments.

6. A garment clamping case adapted to be s'e cured to the exterior of a substantially imperfo rate building panel, comprising a case having an 1 open front side, a coat hanger support within said case and adapted to receive coat hangers on which garments are carried, a closure for said front side of the case and movable inwardly within said case into clamping relation with said 29 garments, and means on the inside of said panel and releasable from the inside and outside thereof for releasably locking said closure in said clamping position.

'7. A clamping case for garments comprising a case having an open front side and adapted to be secured to a substantially imperforate building panel, a support for clothes hangers in said case and adapted to receive coat hangers on which garments are carried, a hinge block slidably 30 clamping relation with the garments in said case,

and locking means releasable from inside and outside said panel for confining said latch bar in locking position.

8. A clamping case for garments comprising a case having an open front side and adapted to be secured to a building panel, a support for clothes hangers in said case and adapted to receive coat hangers on which garments are carried, a hinge block slidably mounted on a side wall of said case, a closure mounted upon said hinge block at one end thereof, a latch bar secured to the other end of said closure, said closure being movable inwardly into clamping relation with the garments in said case, and locking means releasable from inside and outside said panel for confining said latch bar in looking position, said closure having an opening therein adapted to receive the support of said case when said closure is moved to innermost position.

9. A clamping case for garments, comprising a case adapted to be secured on the exterior of a substantially imperforate building panel, a hanger support therein, a closure hinged at one end to said case and adapted to be moved across said open side to close the same, a support within said case adapted to receive a coat hanger on which a garment is carried, said closure having a reinforced lower edge extending inwardly for clamping engagement with said garment, and

;; locking means on the inside of said panel releasable from inside and outside of said panel for confining said closure in clamping relation with said garment.

10. In combination, a clothes case adapted to be secured to the exterior of a door, comprising a case body having an open front side, a closure pivotally mounted upon said case for closing said front side, and equipped at its free end with a latching bar adapted to be extended through a slot in said door, said door being otherwise imperforate, said latching bar being provided with serrations, and a lock mounted on the inside of said door and equipped with a bolt for engaging said serrations tosecure said closure in closed position.

LEO PETERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 531,496 Barwick Dec. 25, 1894 545,418 Soley Aug. 27, 1895 812,917 Bouhall Feb. 20, 1906 833,909 Ashley Oct. 23, 1906 911,035 Garner Feb. 2, 1909 1,880,817 Coleman Oct. 4, 1932 2,007,854 Grill July 9, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 184,669 Great Britain Aug. 24, 1922 341,061 Germany Sept. 22, 1921 

